


Among The Dunes

by SmallRedRobin13



Series: Both Sides Of The Credit Chit [24]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M, Implied/Referenced Cannabalism, Implied/Referenced Sex, Inspired by Supernatural (TV), slightly dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 23:33:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10627497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmallRedRobin13/pseuds/SmallRedRobin13
Summary: When Corso Riggs and Azurha decided to go searching for Jettison, they find something way darker than they imagined...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Before you begin please note that this story may contain elements that some might be uncomfortable with. Please proceed with caution.

Jettison waved farewell to that speeder that’d been kind enough to give him a lift to a homestead known for taking in those new to the planet. The idea of farmwork didn’t appeal to him at all, but here it would be quiet, remote, peaceful even, meaning it was the perfect place to hide. As he walked towards the rickety old main house with Pali, a Bith who was also looking for work, he noticed a girl about his age peering out of the upper story window. An older man stood on the front porch, his arms stretched out in greeting.

“Welcome, welcome! I’m Dator, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” He said, walking towards them and patting Jettison on the back.

“Yeah, nice to meet you. I’m Jettison.” Jettison replied nervously, flinching at Dator’s touch. Dator smiled warmly, offering Pali his hand.

“And you are?”

“My friends call me Pali.” Pali grunted, accepting Dator’s hand and shaking it.

“Come in, I’ll give you the grand tour!”

 

The tour consisted of the main house, which had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a dining room and a kitchen. The bunkhouse, where Jettison and Pali would be sleeping was a single room with a half-dozen bunkbeds. If Jettison or Pali needed the bathroom during the night, there was an somewhat dingy outhouse nearby. The only other building on the homestead was a storage bay, which they were forbidden from entering. When asked why, Dator had explained that it was old and extremely hazardous inside.

“It’s for your own safety.” He assured them, breaking into a smile as a trio approached them.

“Ah, just in time! Jettison, Pali, I’d like you to meet my children.” He said, waving at the approaching trio.

They waved back and Dator returned his attention back to Jettison and Pali as he herded them inside.

“You can meet them over dinner. You’ll start work tomorrow.”

 

It was quiet, far too quiet for Jettison. He was used to the hustle and bustle of the city, not the eerie quiet of a remote homestead on Tatooine at night. The only sound that penetrated the silence was Pali’s breathing and shifting about in the opposite bunk. Until he rolled out of bed and shuffled for the door, spotting Jettison’s curious eyes through the gloom.

“Relax kid, I’m just headed to the outhouse.” He stated, pushing open the door and vanishing into the inky night.

The now absolute silence put Jettison on edge and he found himself reaching under his pillow for the blaster he’d grabbed while fleeing Ord Mantell. He closed his eyes and tried to think of happier and louder times like Corso teaching him how to shoot as well as care for a blaster and that one time he’d let Jettison shoot Torchy. Then Pali’s scream shattered the night and Jettison leapt up to lock the door. He pressed himself up against the far wall, quivering like a lit match in a storm and clinging onto his blaster for dear life. Any chance of sleep had perished, along with Jettison ever feeling safe again. More than anything, he wished his old crew was here and in that moment, he’d never despised Skavak more for taking them from him.

 

Azurha had learned a long time ago that Corso Riggs had a smile that could light up a room. A short while after that she learned she do anything to see that smile. So when Corso wanted to go to Tatooine in search of the surviving member of his old crew, who was she to object? Still, surely there were better ways to earn a smile from Corso than getting sand literally everywhere while driving to a remote town. Now she had to finish the ardous task of removing sand from her cybernetic joints while Corso asked after Jettison downstairs. As she finally scraped out the last particles from the joints in her leg, the door whooshed open and Corso entered, a giant grin on his face.

“I talked to the bartender. According to him, a Twi’lek matching Jettison’s description came through here looking for work.” Corso explained as Azurha pulled on some pants.

“And?”

“And he directed him to this homestead that known for taking in newcomers.”

“Which way?” Azurha asked, standing up and walking in a circle to check everything was functioning properly.

“We’ll head out after the sandstorm’s cleared.”

“What sandstorm?”

“There’s one coming this way. It wouldn’t be safe for us to go until it’s gone.” He informed her.

“Corso, that storm could last for days! Jettison was desperate enough to try and access Viidu’s accounts, who knows what kind of trouble he’s in!”

“We’re no good to him dead.” Corso pointed out.

When Azurha tried to argue, he sighed and folded his arms.

“Captain, we wouldn’t reach the homestead in time to shelter from the storm. And I’d rather be stuck here than caught out in the open in the middle of a sandstorm, we could get lost or worse.”

“But-”

“No buts. You said you’d follow my lead on this one and I say we wait it out!” Corso ordered, grabbing hold of her arm.

Azurha shrugged him off, before standing, grabbing his pack and digging through it.

“What are you looking for?” Corso asked, helpless as she completely destroyed his neat packing.

“Sparkles, I put in your pack since mine- What are these for?” She said, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.

Corso blushed, grabbing them and shoving them back into his pack.

“I took Sparkles out of my pack, I thought you’d put her in there by accident.” He told her, trying pull his pack out of her hands but only succeeding in pulling her closer.

“Corso, I asked you a question.” She insisted. Corso bit his lip, before letting go of his pack.

“It, um, would be much easier to show you…” He stuttered in a somewhat seductive tone. Azurha put the pack aside, chuckling as he closed the distance between them.

“You are adorable, you know that?”

 

Jettison had been on edge since Pali’s disappearance and his fears had soon proven to be founded. He’d been out working in the fields when someone had crept up behind him and knocked him unconscious. He’d awoken in a cage stored in what appeared to be the storage bay they’d been forbidden from entering.

“You okay kid?” Pali asked from the next cage over as Jettison touched his hand against the back of his head.

“I’m fine, I think.” He groaned, sitting up to inspect the bars of his cage.

“Don’t bother. I searched mine top to bottom. The only way out is through the door. And we’re not getting through the door ‘less someone opens it for us.” Pali informed him.

As if it were responding to some unseen cue, the lock to Pali’s door clicked and it creaked open.

“I don’t believe it.” Pali muttered, glancing around as he prodded the cage door open and crawled out.

“Neither do I. It’s too easy. I don’t think you should go.” Jettison fretted, leaning forward.

“This place is old. The system must be faulty. I’ll get help, then I’ll come back for you.” Pali promised as he scrambled to his feet and fled the storage bay, despite Jettison’s many objections.

He sighed, leaning back against the bars again. As far as Jettison was concerned there was something strange about Pali’s apparent escape. He heard Pali scream again, only this time it was the gasping cry of a dying man.

 

Not only had Azurha been completely wrong about the sandstorm, but she’d managed to make herself to look like a complete idiot in the process. Sighing, she pulled on her discarded clothes, avoiding eye-contact with Corso as she did so. He smiled, shifting over to sit beside her.

“Hey, at least we had fun.” He pointed out, nuzzling her neck. Azurha smiled as she tugged on her boots, then she stood to strap on her holster.

“Yeah, I guess. You ready to go?” She asked, finding her vibroblade and tucking it into her boot.

He nodded and they collected their packs and left the cantina. Azurha attached their packs to the speeder and put her goggles on. Corso climbed aboard the speeder, patting the seat behind him.

“Hop on.” He said. Azurha folded her arms.

“And you’re driving because- ?”

“Because the bartender gave me, not you, directions.” Corso stated, before patting the seat behind him again “Now climb aboard, we’re wasting daylight.”

Azurha sighed, pulling her goggles down, climbing aboard and wrapping her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Comfortable?” Corso teased her, as he pulled down his own goggles and revved the speeder.

“Just drive.” Azurha hissed, painstakingly aware of how close they were.

Judging by his soft chuckle, he was just as aware. They sped off, a trail of sand rising behind them and Azurha secretly enjoying every moment. As they neared the homestead, the speeder skidded to a halt and Corso climbed off, walking around to retrieve something from his pack.

“Why have we stopped here?” Azurha asked, hopping off and tugging off her goggles.

“Azurha, while you were sleeping, I did some digging. Almost everyone who comes here never comes back.”

“So?”

“So I don’t want you getting hurt.” He said, taking a couple of steps towards her as she shoved her goggles into her pack.

“I’m a big girl Corso. I can look after myself.” Azurha replied, leaning back against the speeder.

“I know, and you risk your life regularly and that’s your choice, but you’re here because of me and I couldn’t bear it if you got hurt because of that.”

“Corso…” Azurha sighed, “I chose to come with you. If I get hurt, if it’s anyone’s fault, it’ll be mine.”

Corso took her right hand, looking her in the eye.

“Captain, please, I’m not willing to risk you getting hurt. Which is why…” Corso pulled her hand forward, slapping the handcuffs on before handcuffing her to the speeder before unstrapping her holsters and hanging them over her pack, just out of her reach.

Azurha frowned as he stepped out of her reach, his puppy-dog eyes in full force.

“Sorry Captain.” He muttered as he started to walk towards the homestead.

“Get back here right now Corso Riggs or so help me!” She snarled at him, straining against the handcuffs.

If Corso had cuffed her cybernetic arm, she could have just torn her way free. Alas, since he’d cuffed her human arm and her emergency vibroknife would be useless against durasteel, she had no choice but to try and reach for her blasters with her free arm, cursing softly but violently as she did so.

 

Corso banged on the front door to the house, trying to ignore his guilt about leaving Azurha handcuffed to a speeder. He peered through the grime-covered window as the front door swung open to reveal a grubby human girl about Jettison’s age wearing a dirty old frock. She stared at him and Corso shifted uncomfortably.

“Um, hi. I’m Corso Riggs. What’s your name?” He asked.

“Zilla’e. Why are you here?” She responded, tilting her head sideways.

“Zilla’e huh? That’s a nice name. I’m looking for a friend of mine. A Twi’lek kid, about your age? Calls himself Jettison? You seen him?” Corso babbled, stepping closer.

Zilla’e didn’t reply, stepping back into the doorway and giving him an odd smile.

“That’s going to hurt.” She commented.

“What is?” Corso asked, before hearing a creak behind him. He started to turn as someone hit him over the head with what appeared to be a shovel, knocking him out cold.


	2. Chapter 2

After a great deal of stretching and enough cursing for Azurha to run out of curse words, she finally hooked her little finger around her holster.

“Come on, come on.” She grunted, slowly pulling it toward her.

The sound of approaching voices nearly sent her into a panic and she knocked her pack over. Internally cursing, she dropped to her hands and knees, grabbed her blasters and rolled under the speeder, brushing the sand around so they wouldn’t see her footprints. From her position under the speeder, she could see two pairs of boots and she hoped that they wouldn’t think to check underneath.

“I’ve never seen Dad so mad before.” One remarked.

“No one’s ever come after someone so quickly. Hey Vi’allg?” The other asked, leaning down to pick up Azurha’s pack.

“What Adni?”

“You think this one brought anything good?”

“He’s got two packs. Bound to be something.” Vi’allg assured him.

“What do we do with the speeder?”

“Leave it. Dad’ll handle it.” Vi’allg ordered, strolling away from the speeder and back over the dunes with Adni trotting behind him.

When she was certain the pair was out of earshot, she rolled out from under the speeder and pressed her blaster against the handcuffs’ locking mechanism, turning away before pulling the trigger. The noise from the blaster shot was loud and ringing enough to make her wince as she pulled the handcuff off her wrist and circled around to the house, being careful to stay out of Viallg’s and Adni’s line of sight.

 

“Corso? Is that you? How did…? I didn’t think I was ever… oh…”

Corso sat bolt upright, banging his head on the roof of the cage. He scanned the room to find Jettison sitting in the cage next to him.

“Jettison? You okay?” He asked, scrambling as close to Jettison as his cage would allow, which was a couple of centimetres at best.

“I heard they took in strangers who were new to the planet. They locked me up and… what are they going to do to us?” He rambled, his eyes growing wide with fear.

“Don’t worry, my friend Azurha is looking for us.”

“Thank goodness. Where is she?”

Corso swallowed, realising the abominable mistake he’d made.

“I...  handcuffed her to the speeder.” He groaned, internally kicking himself.

“Uh… Corso. Somebody's coming.” Jettison warned as the door swung open. Corso squinted through the bars, trying to figure out who their visitor was. Jettison scrambled away from his cage’s door, panting heavily as the person strolled over.

“Corso? Is that you?” Azurha called, spotting him through the gloom. Corso chuckled with relief as Azurha came over to his cage, checking to see how durable it was.

“Are you hurt?” She asked, leaning down beside him.

“No.” He replied, giving her a quick smile. Azurha frowned at him in return.

“You’re still mad.” Corso stated, folding his arms.

“I nearly got caught thanks to your outdated views!” Azurha snapped, throwing up her arms.

“Look, I made a mistake and I realize than now. But we need to get out of here, you can yell at me later.” Corso instructed.

Azurha growled, before nodding.

“Fine. Do you have any idea how to get you out of here?” She asked Jettison.

“Wait, how did you get out of the cuffs?” Corso enquired.

“Shot the lock off. Nearly got me caught too.” She grumbled, glaring at Corso.

“I said I was sorry! I was only trying to protect you!” Corso objected.

“And a damn fine job you’re doing! Anyway, Jettison -it is Jettison right?- my question still stands.”

“R-right, well the automatic control for the door is over there.” Jettison said, sticking his hand through the bars to point Azurha in the right direction. She ran over to the controls, inspecting them closely.

“Maybe you could shoot the locks off like you did with the handcuffs?” Corso suggested. Azurha shook her head.

“I don’t think that’ll work on controls like this.” She said.

“I think you need a keycard.” Jettison added. Azurha smiled, nodding at him.

“Okay then, what am I up against?”

“A family of four humans.” Jettison replied.

“That’s it?” Azurha said, surprised, “No implants or… anything?”

“No, not that I saw.”

“Alright, I’ll be back soon. Take this, just in case.” Azurha announced, handing Corso one of her blasters, spinning on her heel and heading for the door with a devil-may-care smirk on her face.

“Azurha, wait!” Corso called after her, a small part of him afraid that he would never see her again. She turned again and Corso swallowed.

“Just… be careful.”

In response, she gave him a wave of sorts before slipping out the door.

 

Azurha crept back towards the house, carefully opening a window and climbing inside. She pressed herself up against a peeling sofa, slowly peeking over the top to see that there was nobody around. She could hear music playing from the kitchen as she searched the living room for the keycard before creeping towards the kitchen. That was when she noticed a dish full of keycards.

“Shit.” She muttered, leaning forward to check if the man in the kitchen had his attention.

As luck would have it, he seemed to be focused on cleaving some meat in half and Azurha could easily reach forward and grab the dish without him noticing. When she’d retrieved the dish, she turned to escape back through the window, only to find a young girl standing there. Azurha pressed a finger to her lips before lowering her hands in a calming gesture.

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.” She whispered. The girl smiled toothily.

“I know.” She replied, drawing a knife and pinning part of Azurha’s favourite blue jacket to the wall.

Out of surprise, the dish slipped out of Azurha’s hand, landing on the floor with a loud clatter and sending keycards flying everywhere.

“Daddy!” The girl screeched, as Azurha tried to simultaneously draw her blaster and remove the knife from her jacket.

“Daddy! Daddy!” The girl repeated, like a baby bird squawking for it’s mother.

Azurha heard lumbering footsteps behind her as she finally pulled the knife free and aimed her blaster. Before she could fire, someone came up behind her and lifted her off her feet as the girl tore the blaster out of her hand and tossed it away. Another man rushed out of another room and charged at her. Azurha kicked out with her cybernetic leg, hitting him square in the stomach. She knew from various bar fights she’d gotten into that kicking someone in the stomach with a metal leg wearing a durasteel-toed boot was generally enough to keep them out of the action, at least for a short while. The man holding her up retaliated by hurling her into the kitchen, smacking her forehead against the counter. The force was enough to slide the emergency vibroknife she kept in her boot out and she cursed, wishing Corso hadn’t taken Sparkles, along with her concealed holster, out of his pack. The man who’d thrown her, whom she assumed was the father, grabbed her by the back of her jacket and pulled her up. Azurha spun, taking advantage of the momentum to punch him in the nose. Hard. As he stumbled back, the other guy ran forward, propelling her into the table. In doing so, he threw himself of balance and Azurha took advantage of this to shove him into the wall. She darted back, forced into a corner by the oncoming men. She grabbed a plate from the sink and hurled it wildly at the father and shattered against the kitchen wall. The other man lunged forward, his fist aiming for her face. She quickly ducked under it, responding with a punch of her own to his throat that drove him back. The father tackled her into the doorway, only to be pushed back with a vicious kick. Azurha grunted in pain as the other man stood up like a drunkard and she stumbled upright, leaning against the wall.

“I’m gonna kick your ass first.” She promised the other man, jabbing her finger at him.

“And then yours.” She finished, pointing to the father before she heard the clang of metal on another object and everything went dark.

 

Rescue missions had never really been Azurha’s forte. But this was truly the worst one yet. She awoken, tied to a chair with a splitting headache and feeling extremely vulnerable. More vulnerable then she’d ever felt in her entire life. She groaned, looking up to find the crazy girl, the father and the two other men from earlier.

“She’s a pretty one, even with the cybernetics. And feisty. Maybe we could keep her?” One of the other men, whom she assumed was a son, suggested, leering at her.

“Nah Adni, let’s hunt her. Like you said, she’s feisty, it would fun to hunt her.” The other son argued. Azurha coughed, luring everyone’s attention back to her.

“Do I get a say in this? ‘Cause I say you should give me back my stuff and let me go.” She interjected, trying to act more confident than she felt.

When no one replied, Azurha swallowed and continued. If she couldn’t escape, maybe she could buy Corso and Jettison time.

“So you hunt people? For sport? You are some messed-up individuals.”

The trio of men smiled, sending numerous shivers down Azurha’s spine.

“You ever killed before?” The father asked, leaning forward. Azurha chuckled nervously.

“Not for fun, no.”

“I’ve hunted for my dinner all my life.” The father continued, “Just like my father, and his before him. I’ve hunted almost every wild beast know to man, but I’ve found the best hunt is human.”

Azurha glanced out of the window, trying not to feel sick as the father rambled on with his unnerving smile.

“Oh, there’s nothing like it. Holding their life in your hands. Seeing the fear in their eyes just before they go dark. Makes you feel like a God.”

Azurha took a deep, shuddering breath at his words before meeting his eyes.

“You’re a monster. The kind that makes other monsters feel sick.” She spat, flicking her head forward and head-butting him.

His smile vanished, replaced by a crazed stare that Azurha thought only the Sith possessed as he leant back and continued his monologue.

“We give them a fighting chance, give them a weapon. It’s a family tradition, passed down from father to son.”

As he said this, the other brother smoothed down his sisters hair, adding to the lump of disgust that was slowly forming in Azurha’s stomach.

“We take whoever comes looking for work. A man’s gotta eat, after all. But we’re careful to make it look like they’ve moved on. We’re not that sloppy.”

“Give yourselves some credit, you’re pretty sloppy.” Azurha quipped.

The blow came so fast Azurha had barely gotten the words out of her mouth. The father repositioned himself to the left of her chair and leaned in, stopping just short of her shoulder. Azurha turned to face him, shifting away slightly. He seemed to enjoy her discomfort as he spoke.

“So, what, you with the boy who came earlier? Corso, I think he said his name was?”

Azurha moved her attention away from the father, focusing it towards the girl and Adni. The girl glanced up towards Adni, who was watching her expectantly.

“You a friend of his?” The father asked, taking hold of her chin and turning her face towards him. Azurha smiled at him.

“If I tell you, you promise not to make me into a wind chime?” She joked. The father released her chin, using his now free hand to strike her again, so hard her cybernetic eye glitched.

When her vision finally cleared, the father had walked out of her line of sight.

“Only reason I don’t let my boys do what they want with you right now is that there’s something I need to know.” He informed her.

Azurha twisted around to try and see what he was doing, to no avail.

“How about it’s not nice to marry your sister?” She snarked.

“Tell me,” The father said, ignoring her response, “Is anyone else gonna come looking for you?”

“Eat me!” Azurha snarled, before reconsidering, “No wait, you actually might. I wouldn’t recommend it: I have it on good authority I’m bad for the heart.”

Adni stepped forward, grabbing her head and pulling it back as the father held up what appeared to be a lightsaber.

“You think this is funny?” He growled, “Thanks to one of our previous hunts I can repay you for what you brought down on my family. Believe me, you’re going to suffer for it.”

Azurha spat in his face. It was hardly the most dignified response, but it felt good. The father wiped the spit off his face, glaring at her.

“You wanna play games? Alright, we’ll play some games.”

Azurha closed her eyes, preparing herself for the excruciating pain she was about to feel.

“Looks like we’re gonna have a hunt tonight after all. And our pretty little guest gets to pick the animal.”

She’d prepared herself for the wrong kind of pain.


	3. Chapter 3

“The Twi’lek or the Human. Your choice.”

Azurha felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach.

“Okay, wait. No. Please no.” She begged him, the human part of her body starting to shake.

“Nobody’s coming for us. It’s just us!” She lied, hoping that she could save Corso and Jettison.

“You don’t choose, I will.” The father warned her, pressing the lightsaber against her right shoulder. She screamed, thrashing around in her chair until he removed it again.

When he did, her breath came out in short pants.

“You nerf-herding son of a Hutt!” She yelled, struggling against her restraints.

The father knelt down, positioning the lightsaber in front of Azurha’s eye. She flinched as she tried not to panic.

“Choose.” The father ordered.

“All right! The human, take the human!” Azurha panted.

Although she hated herself for setting him against such huge odds, he had a higher chance of surviving than Jettison. Adni released her head as the father pulled a keycard out of his pocket and tossed it to the other brother.

“Vi’allg, go do it. Don’t let him out though. Shoot him in his cage.” He order, sheathing the lightsaber. That was when Azurha lost it.

“No!” She howled like a wounded animal, throwing her weight forward, “You said you were gonna hunt him, you were gonna give him a chance!”

“Vi’allg!” The father called after his son, “When you’re done with the Human, shoot the Twi’lek too!”

He then turned to Azurha.

“One man won’t last our family until our next hunt. ‘Specially if we keep you for Adni.” He explained to a mortified Azurha.

She barely held back her tears of rage, she couldn’t stand to lose Corso. She loved him no matter what he did and it occurred to her that she’d never actually told him that (Seriously though, what had he been thinking?!).

“If you hurt Corso, I’ll kill you, I promise. I’ll kill you all!” She screamed, hoping against hope that Jettison and Corso were long gone.

 

Corso knew that it wouldn’t be Azurha’s footsteps he was hearing. He could heard her savage screams from the house and it was enough to fill him with rage. Jettison had paled considerably since the screaming started and he paled even more when their captor strolled in with a blaster rifle swung over his shoulder.

“Vi’allg, please don’t.” Jettison implored him.

Vi’allg ignored him, scanning the keycard to open Corso’s cage. Corso’s hand curled around the blaster as Vi’allg kicked open the cage door and aimed his rifle. Before he could pull the trigger, Corso revealed his blaster and fired it wildly, hitting him in the shoulder. Corso fired again, only this time he hit him in the heart. As Vi’allg’s body thudded to the ground, Corso dived forward, grabbing the keycard to free Jettison. Once both their cages were open, Corso picked up the blaster rifle and checked it, cursing.

“What is it?” Jettison asked, glancing about nervously.

“It’s jammed. Useless.” Corso complained, tossing it aside and handing Jettison the blaster.

“Corso?”

“You’ll need more than I will. Remember our lessons?”

“Yeah.”

 

Two shots. That was all it took to break Azurha’s heart.

“I never even told him…” She whimpered, slumping forward. Everyone else ignored her in favour of listening for Vi’allg’s return. When he didn’t return for a few minutes, the family began to get concerned.

“Vi’allg?” The father roared. When there was no reply, he turned to his remaining children.

“Adni, you come with me. Zilla’e, you watch her, she try anything, test out your new vibroknife.” He ordered.

Zilla’e smiled as Adni strode after his father, drawing Azurha’s vibroblade and pressing it against Azurha’s chin.

“That’s my vibroblade.” Azurha realized, staring down at it. Zilla’e pressed the blade deeper into Azurha’s skin. Azurha didn't care, she was at the end of her emotional tether.

“That was a gift from a friend. Give. It. Back.” Azurha demanded, glaring at Zilla’e.

In response, Zilla’e slashed the blade across Azurha’s chin, drawing blood. After that, she seemed mostly content with pressing it to the rest of Azurha’s face, studying her closely. It was when she pressed the vibroblade to Azurha’s right cheek that Azurha chose to strike. She started by biting Zilla’e’s wrist until she released the vibroblade. The vibroblade landed on Azurha’s right knee as she head butted Zilla’e to the ground, hoping that she was unconscious instead of just winded. Without waiting to find out, Azurha slowly raised her knee while reaching for it with her hand. Despite all odds, she managed to grab hold of it and began to slowly cut through the ropes binding her wrist to the chair. As she finally cut herself free, she adjusted her grip on the vibroblade before starting on the other ropes.

 

Adni and Dator kicked open the door to the storage bay, pointing their rifles into it. They moved with the tactical grace of a professional strike team as they swept the room in search of their missing family member.

“Vi’allg? Where are you?” Dator bellowed as they made their way around the room.

It was Adni who found his brother slumped against the cage.

“Vi’allg!” He yelled, kneeling down to check on his on his brother.

When Dator saw his son dead on the floor, he tightened his grip on his rifle.

“They’re going to pay for this. Adni, get the lights!” He ordered.

Adni trotted over to the light switches, flicking them up and down repeatedly with no effect.

“They must’ve blown the fuses.” He informed his father, who hurtled forward, swinging his rifle wildly.

“Go back to the house Adni. If you hear blaster shots, you slit that pretty girl’s throat.” He ordered.

Adni nodded, heading for the door. Upon hearing this, Jettison landed on him, wrapping his arms around his throat. Adni backed into a wall, temporarily knocking the breath out of Jettison and causing him to loosen his grip for a split second. Upon hearing sounds of combat, Corso’s head popped up from behind the crate he’d concealed himself with. Dator spotted him and fired, forcing Corso to duck and start running towards cover that might actually protect him from blaster shots. Meanwhile, Adni had succeeded in extracting Jettison from his back and he slammed him into the ground. Corso threw himself across an area with no cover as Dator fired at him again, the shot grazing his lower thigh as Adni cocked his rifle and aimed it at Jettison.

“You stupid-” Before Adni could finish, Jettison pulled the blaster from his waistband and fired, grazing Adni’s hand.

He cursed as Corso sprinted over.

“Hey!” He yelled, waving his arms to attract Adni’s attention.

He spun, his finger curled around the trigger and he fired at Corso on reflex. Corso threw himself to the ground and the shot sailed over his head, hitting Dator right between the eyes. While Adni began to realize what he’d done, Corso tackled him to the ground.

 

Having locked Adni in one of the cages, Corso and Jettison jogged over to the house to check on Azurha. Jettison carefully opened the door as Corso pointed his rifle through the door.

“Azurha? You in here?” He called.

“Corso? That you? I’m in the living room!” Azurha yelled. Corso and Jettison strode over to find Azurha leaning against a storage cabinet of some kind. Screams of rage could be heard from within it.

“Perfect timing! Could you pass me that shovel?” Azurha asked, digging her feet into the carpet.

“Azurha, you’re the bleeding!” Corso panicked, darting over to inspect her face. 

“It’s nothing. Get the shovel.” She ordered.

“What’s in there?” Jettison enquired, as Corso handed Azurha the shovel lying on the floor.

“The crazy girl with the vibroknife. I think her name was Zilla’e?” Azurha answered, jamming the shovel through the door handles.

“You’re not just going to leave her in there are you?” Corso asked. Azurha shook her head, stepping away from the cabinet.

“I was thinking we could call the Republic, get them to take care of her. Is anyone else alive?”

“The younger brother, Adni, is locked in one of the cages.” Corso informed her, “But we should sort out your injury first.”

“It’s fine Corso. Let’s just go.” Azurha insisted, unhooking her holocomm from her belt.

“Azurha-”

“Fine!” I’ll get it looked over by a doctor when we get back! Happy?” She snapped, folding her arms. Corso sighed, before nodding.

 

Anchorhead’s cantina had quietened down a little since when Azurha, Corso and Jettison had first arrived. Aside from themselves and the barkeeper, the only people in the room where a few drunken soldier sleeping off one drink too many. Corso had dragged Azurha to a medic to treat her wounds and Jettison had gotten them rooms for the night. As they finished their meal, Azurha couldn’t help but notice how troubled Jettison looked.

“They’re gone.” She reminded him, laying a hand on his shoulder, “They won’t be hurting anyone again.”

“How did you even end up here, Jet?” Corso asked, “I thought Syreena got the whole crew.”

Jettison swallowed.

“I had the sec camera’s wired to my comm. I saw it all go down. Started running and didn’t stop ‘til I hit Tatooine. I was trying to start over. After what Syreena did… I’ve been too scared to go into anyone’s systems. It was kind of a game for me, working for Viidu. It never really hit home that we were committing crimes. That people could die…” He trailed off, shivering slightly at the memories.

“It’s rough to lose friends like that.” Azurha agreed, removing her hand from his shoulder.

“I’ve got no one.” Jettison continued, “No place to go. No money. I was hoping I could take something from Viidu but… Corso, is there anything you…?”

“Don’t worry Jet, we’ll take care of you. Won’t we Captain?” Corso stated, giving her a warning look.

Azurha rolled her eyes at him, giving Jettison a smile.

“After what you’ve been through, I’d have to be a Sith to not help out.” She replied.

“There should be some people here at Anchorhead who owe me and the Captain a good turn. We’ll help you find them tomorrow. I’ll try to set you up with some legit work. I think you’ve had enough of the wild side.” Corso said as he cut off another piece of meat.

“I’ll say!” Jettison confirmed, before chuckling, “Thank you Corso. I can’t think of anyone from the old crew I’d rather have find me.”

Corso smiled at his flattery as Jettison glanced towards Azurha.

“There’s no one more loyal than Corso, Captain. You’re lucky to have him.” He said. Azurha smiled at him, finishing her wine in record time.

“Yeah, though he can be a little overbearing at times.” She commented. Jettison nodded in agreement as the trio finished their meals and headed to bed.

 

Waiting for Corso to finish in the refresher was like waiting for Hoth to melt. With nothing better to do at the end of a three-day stress festival, Azurha checked her cybernetic limbs for damage. Despite taking quite a beating, due to the fights and the sand they were mostly undamaged.

“Stars, I hate sand. How does it manage to get everywhere?” She complained aloud, keeping her mind focused on anything but what she would say to Corso.

Once she’d confirmed that her limbs would not break down on her anytime soon, she ran her finger along her newest scar, one that Zilla’e had given her on her chin. She’d overslept a little and by the time she’d woken up, Corso had already gone with Jettison, leaving Azurha’s thoughts to buzz around her head likes bees. The bees had been temporarily quietened when Corso had returned, but they’d started up again once he’d gone into the refresher. The bees shut up again when Corso strolled out of the refresher with nothing but a towel preserving his diginity. Azurha sighed, finding Corso a clean set of trousers and tossing them to him, plucking up the nerve.

“Corso, can we talk?”

Corso pulled on his trousers before sitting down on the bed beside her, hooking his arm around her waist.

“Sure. What do you wanna talk about?”

Azurha licked her lips before she began, wondering if it was too late to chicken out.

“When I was just a kid I lost… someone close to me. And I’ve always regretted never telling her how much I loved her. And when we were back at the homestead, I realised I’d never told you either. When I realised that, I- I was so scared I’d lose someone else without ever telling them.” Azurha fretted, leaning into Corso and breathing in his comforting scent.

“Telling me what Azurha?” Corso asked, pulling her in closer.

“That… that I love you Corso.” She confessed, allowing him to pull her into a hug.

“I know.”


End file.
